Ancient History of India

The history of human settlements in India goes back to prehistoric times. No written records are available for the prehistoric period. However, plenty of archaeological remains are found

in different parts of India to reconstruct the history of this period. They include the stone tools, pottery, artifacts and metal implements used by pre-historic people. The development of archaeology helps much to understand the life and culture of the people who lived in this period.

In India, the prehistoric period is divided into the Paleolithic
(Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), Neolithic (New
Stone Age) and the Metal Age. However, these periods were not
uniform throughout the Indian subcontinent. The dating of the prehistoric
period is done scientifically. The technique of radio-carbon
dating is commonly used for this purpose. It is based on measuring
the loss of carbon in organic materials over a period of time. Another
dating method is known as dendro-chronology. It refers to the number of tree rings in wood. By counting the number of tree rings
in the wood, the date of the wood is arrived at.

Paleolithic or Old Stone Age

The Old Stone Age sites are widely found in various parts of
the Indian subcontinent. These sites are generally located near water
sources. Several rock shelters and caves used by the Paleolithic
people are scattered across the subcontinent. They also lived rarely
in huts made of leaves. Some of the famous sites of Old Stone Age
in India are:

a. The Soan valley and Potwar Plateau on the northwest India.

b. The Siwalik hills on the north India.

c. Bhimpetka in Madhya Pradesh.

d. Adamgarh hill in Narmada valley.

e. Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh

and

f. Attirampakkam near Chennai.

In the Old Stone Age, food was obtained by hunting animals
and gathering edible plants and tubers. Therefore, these people are
called as hunter-gatherers. They used stone tools, hand-sized and
flaked-off large pebbles for hunting
animals. Stone implements are made of a
hard rock known as quartzite. Large
pebbles are often found in river terraces.
The hunting of large animals would have
required the combined effort of a group
of people with large stone axes. We have
little knowledge about their language and
communication. Their way of life became modified with the passage
of time since they made attempts to domesticate animals, make crude
pots and grow some plants. A few Old Stone Age paintings have In the Old Stone Age, food was obtained by hunting animals
and gathering edible plants and tubers. Therefore, these people are
called as hunter-gatherers. They used stone tools, hand-sized and
flaked-off large pebbles for hunting
animals. Stone implements are made of a
hard rock known as quartzite. Large
pebbles are often found in river terraces.
The hunting of large animals would have
required the combined effort of a group
of people with large stone axes. We have
little knowledge about their language and
communication. Their way of life became modified with the passage
of time since they made attempts to domesticate animals, make crude
pots and grow some plants. A few Old Stone Age paintings have also been found on rocks at Bhimbetka and other places. The period
before 10000 B.C. is assigned to the Old Stone Age

Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age

The next stage of human life is called Mesolithic or Middle
Stone Age which falls roughly from

10000 B.C. to 6000 B.C. It
was the transitional phase between the Paleolithic Age and Neolithic
Age. Mesolithic remains are found in Langhanj in Gujarat, Adamgarh
in Madhya Pradesh and also in some places of Rajasthan, Utter
Pradesh and Bihar. The paintings and engravings found at the rock
shelters give an idea about the social life and economic activities of
Mesolithic people. In the sites of Mesolithic Age, a different type of
stone tools is found. These are tiny stone artifacts, often not more
than five centimetres in size, and therefore called microliths. The
hunting-gathering pattern of life continued during this period.
However, there seems to have been a shift from big animal hunting
to small animal hunting and fishing. The use of bow and arrow also
began during this period. Also, there began a tendency to settle for
longer periods in an area. T
herefore, domestication of animals,
horticulture and primitive cultivation started. Animal bones are found
in these sites and these include dog, deer, boar and ostrich.
Occasionally, burials of the dead along with some microliths and
shells seem to have been practised.

Neolithic Age

A remarkable progress is noticed in human civilization in the Neolithic Age. It is approximately dated from 6000 B.C to 4000 B.C. Neolithic remains are found in various parts of India. These include the Kashmir valley, Chirand in Bihar, Belan valley in Uttar Pradesh and in several places of the Deccan. The chief characteristic features of the Neolithic culture are the practice of agriculture, domestication of animals, polishing of stone tools and the manufacture of pottery. In fact, the cultivation of plants and domestication of animals led to the emergence of village communities based on sedentary life.

Metal Age
The Neolithic period is followed by Chalcolithic (copper-stone) period when copper and bronze came to be used. The new technology of smelting metal ore and crafting metal artefacts is important

development in human civilization. But the use of stone tools was not given up. Some of the micro lithic tools continued to be essential items. People began to travel for a long distance to obtain metal ores. This led to a network of Chalcolithic cultures and the Chalcolithic cultures were found in many parts of India.The Harappan Civilization
The earliest excavations in the Indus valley were done at Harappa in the West Punjab and Mohenjodaro in Sind. Both places are now in Pakistan. The findings in these two cities brought to light a civilization. It was first called the ‘The Indus Valley Civilization’. But this civilization was later named as the ‘Indus Civilization’ due to the discovery of more and more sites far away from the Indus valley. Also, it has come to be called the ‘Harappan Civilization’ after the name of its first discovered site.

Important Sites
Among the many other sites excavated, the most important are Kot Diji in Sind, Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Rupar in the Punjab,Banawali in Haryana, Lothal, Surkotada and Dholavira, all the three
in Gujarat. The larger cities are approximately a hundred hectares in size. Mohenjodara is the largest of all the Indus cities and it is estimated to have spread over an area of 200 hectares.Date of the Harappan Culture
In 1931, Sir John Marshall estimated the duration of the occupation of Mohenjodaro between 3250 and 2750 B.C. Subsequently, as and when new sites were discovered, the dating of the Harappan culture is modified. The advent of the radiocarbon method paves way for fixing almost accurate dates. By 1956, Fairservis brought down the dating of the Harappan culture to between 2000 and 1500 B.C. on the basis of radiocarbon dates of his findings. In 1964, D.P. Agarwal came to the conclusion that the total span of this culture should be between 2300 and 1750 B.C.

Salient Features of the Harappan CultureTown PlanningThe Harappan culture was distinguished by its system of town planning on the lines of the grid system – that is streets and lanes cutting across one another almost at right angles thus dividing the
city into several rectangular blocks. Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Kalibangan each had its own
citadel built on a high podium of mud brick. Below the citadel in each city lay a lower town containing brick houses, which were inhabited by the common people. The large-scale use of burnt bricks in almost all kinds of constructions and the absence of stone buildings are the important characteristics of the Harappan culture. Another remarkable feature was the underground drainage system connecting all houses to the street drains which were covered by stone slabs or bricks.

The most important
public place of Mohenjodaro is the Great Bath measuring 39 feet length, 23 feet
breadth and 8 feet depth. Flights of steps at either end lead to the surface.
There are side rooms for changing clothes. The floor of the Bath was made of burnt
bricks. Water was drawn from a large well in an adjacent room, and an outlet
from one corner of the Bath led to a drain. It must have served as a ritual
bathing site. The largest building in Mohenjodaro is a granary measuring 150
feet length and 50 feet breadth. But in the citadel of Harappa we find as many
as six granaries.

Arts

The Harappan sculpture
revealed a high degree of workmanship. Figures of men and women, animals and
birds made of terracotta and the carvings on the seals show the degree of
proficiency attained by the sculptor. The figure of a dancing girl from
Mohenjodaro made of bronze is remarkable for its workmanship. Its right hand
rests on the hip, while the left arm, covered with bangles, hangs loosely in a
relaxed posture. Two stone statues from Harappa, one representing the back view
of a man and the other of a dancer are also specimens of their sculpture.

The pottery from
Harappa is another specimen of the fine arts of the Indus people. The pots and
jars were painted with various designs and colours. Painted pottery is of
better quality. The pictorial motifs consisted of geometrical patterns like
horizontal lines, circles, leaves, plants and trees. On some pottery pieces we find
figures of fish or peacock.

Religion

From the seals,
terracotta figurines and copper tablets we get an idea on the religious life of
the Harappans. The chief male deity was Pasupati, (proto-Siva) represented in
seals as sitting in a yogic posture with three faces and two horns. He is surrounded
by our animals (elephant, tiger, rhino, and buffalo each facing a different direction).
Two deer appear on his feet. The chief female deity was the Mother Goddess
represented in terracotta figurines. In latter times, Linga worship was prevalent.
Trees and animals were also worshipped by the Harappans. They believed in
ghosts and evil forces and used amulets as protection against them.

Decline of the
Harappan Culture

There is no unanimous view pertaining
to the cause for the decline of the Harappan culture. Various theories have
been postulated. Natural calamities like recurring floods, drying up of rivers,
decreasing fertility of the soil due to excessive exploitation and occasional
earthquakes might have caused the decline of the Harappan cities. According to
some scholars the final blow was delivered by the invasion of Aryans. The
destruction of forts is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Also, the discovery of human
skeletons huddled together at Mohenjodaro indicates that the city was invaded by
foreigners. The Aryans had superior weapons as well as swift horses which might
have enabled them to become masters of this region.

Vedic Literature

The word ‘Veda’ is derived from the root ‘vid’, which means to know. In other words, the term ‘Veda’ signifies ‘superior knowledge’. The Vedic literature consists of the four Vedas – Rig, Yajur,

Sama and Atharva. The Rig Veda is the earliest of the four Vedas and it consists of 1028 hymns. The hymns were sung in praise of various gods. The Yajur Veda consists of various details of rules to be observed at the time of sacrifice. The Sama Veda is set to tune for the purpose of chanting during sacrifice. It is called the book of chants and the origins of Indian music are traced in it. The Atharva Veda contains details of rituals.

Besides the Vedas, there are other sacred works like the Brahmanas, the Upanishads, the Aranyakas and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Brahmanas are the treatises relating to prayer and sacrificial ceremony. The Upanishads are philosophical texts dealing with topic like the soul, the absolute, the origin of the world and the mysteries of nature. The Aranyakas are called forest books
and they deal with mysticism, rites, rituals and sacrifices. The author of Ramayana was Valmiki and that of Mahabharata was Vedavyas.

Rig Vedic Age or Early Vedic Period (1500 - 1000 B.C.)

During the Rig Vedic period, the Aryans were mostly confined to the Indus region. The Rig Veda refers to Saptasindhu or the land of seven rivers. This includes the five rivers of Punjab, namely
Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej along with the Indus and Saraswathi. The political, social and cultural life of the Rig Vedic people can be traced from the hymns of the Rig Veda

Political Organization
The basic unit of political organization was kula or family. Several families joined together on the basis of their kinship to form a village or grama. The leader of grama was known as gramani. A group of villages constituted a larger unit called visu. It was headed by vishayapati. The highest political unit was called jana or tribe. There were several tribal kingdoms during the Rig Vedic period
such as Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus. The head of the kingdom was called as rajan or king. The Rig Vedic polity was normally monarchical and the succession was hereditary. The king was assisted by purohita or priest and senani or commander of the army in his administration. There were two popular bodies called the Sabha and Samiti. The former seems to have been a council of elders and the latter, a general assembly of the entire people.Social Life
The Rig Vedic society was patriarchal. The basic unit of society was family or graham. The head of the family was known as grahapathi. Monogamy was generally practiced while polygamy was prevalent among the royal and noble families. The wife took care of the household and participated in all the major ceremonies. Women were given equal opportunities as men for their spiritual and intellectual development. There were women poets like Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopamudra during the Rig Vedic period. Women could even attend the popular assemblies. There was no child marriage and the practice of sati was absent.Both men and women wore upper and lower garments made of cotton and wool. A variety of ornaments were used by both men and women. Wheat and barley, milk and its products like curd and ghee, vegetables and fruits were the chief articles of food. The eating of cow’s meat was prohibited since it was a sacred animal. Chariot racing, horse racing, dicing, music and dance were the favourite pastimes. The social divisions were not rigid during the Rig Vedic period as it was in the later Vedic period.

Economic Condition
The Rig Vedic Aryans were pastoral people and their main occupation was cattle rearing. Their wealth was estimated in terms of their cattle. When they permanently settled in North India they began to practice agriculture. With the knowledge and use of iron they were able to clean forests and bring more lands under cultivation. Carpentry was another important profession and the availability of wood from the forests cleared made the profession profitable. Carpenters produced chariots and ploughs. Workers in metal made a variety of articles with copper, bronze and iron. Spinning was another important occupation and cotton and woollen fabrics were made. Goldsmiths were active in making ornaments. The potters made various kinds of vessels for domestic use. Trade was another important economic activity and rivers served as important means of transport. Trade was conducted on barter system. In the later times, gold coins called nishka were used as media of exchange in large transactions.

Religion

The Rig Vedic Aryans worshipped the natural forces like earth, fire, wind, rain and thunder. They personified these natural forces into many gods and worshipped them. The important Rig Vedic gods were Prithvi (Earth), Agni (Fire), Vayu (Wind), Varuna (Rain) and Indra (Thunder). Indra was the most popular among them during the early Vedic period. Next in importance to Indra was Agni who
was regarded as an intermediary between the gods and people. Varuna was supposed to be the upholder of the natural order. There were also female gods like Aditi and Ushas. There were no temples and no idol worship during the early Vedic period. Prayers were offered to the gods in the expectation of rewards. Ghee, milk and grain were given as offerings. Elaborate rituals were followed during the worship.

Later Vedic Period (1000 – 600 B.C.)
One important development during this period is the growth of large kingdoms. Kuru and Panchala kingdoms flourished in the beginning. Parikshat and Janamejaya were the famous rulers of Kuru kingdom. Pravahana Jaivali was a popular king of the Panchalas. He was a patron of learning. After the fall of Kurus and Panchalas, other kingdoms like Kosala, Kasi and Videha came into prominence. The famous ruler of Kasi was Ajatasatru. Janaka was the king of Videha with its capital at Mithila. His court was adorned by scholar Yajnavalkya. Magadha, Anga and Vanga seem to be the easternmost tribal kingdoms. The later Vedic texts also refer to the three divisions of India – Aryavarta (northern India), Madhyadesa (central India) and Dakshinapatha (southern India).

Economic Condition
The Later Vedic people were familiar with the sea and they traded with countries like Babylon. A class of hereditary merchants (vaniya) came into existence. Vaisyas also carried on trade and commerce. They organized themselves into guilds known as ganas. Besides nishka of the Rig Vedic period, gold and silver coins like satamana and krishnala were used as media of exchange.Social Life
The four divisions of society (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras) or the Varna system was thoroughly established during the Later Vedic period. The two higher classes - Brahmana, and Kshatriya enjoyed privileges that were denied to the Vaisya and Sudra. A Brahmin occupied a higher position than a Kshatriya but sometimes Kshatriyas claimed a higher status over the Brahmins. Many sub-castes on the basis of their occupation appeared in this period.In the family, the power of the father increased during the Later Vedic period. There was no improvement in the status of women. They were still considered inferior and subordinate to men. Women also lost their political rights of attending assemblies. Child marriages had become common. According the Aitreya Brahmana a daughter has been described as a source of misery. However, the women in the royal household enjoyed certain privileges.Religion
Gods of the Early Vedic period like Indra and Agni lost their importance. Prajapathi (the creator), Vishnu (the protector) and Rudra (the destroyer) became prominent during the Later Vedic period. Sacrifices were still important and the rituals connected with them became more elaborate. The importance of prayers declined and that of sacrifices increased. Priesthood became a profession and a hereditary one. The formulae for sacrifices were invented and elaborated by the priestly class. Therefore, towards the end of this period there was a strong reaction against priestly domination and against sacrifices and rituals. The rise of Buddhism and Jainism was the direct result of these elaborate sacrifices. Also, the authors of the Upanishads, which is the essence of Hindu philosophy, turned away from the useless rituals and insisted on true knowledge

JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
The sixth century B.C. is considered a wonderful century in history. Great thinkers like Buddha, Mahavira, Heraclitus, Zoroaster, Confucius and Lao Tse lived and preached their ideas in this century. In India, the republican institutions were strong in the 6th century B.C. This enabled rise of heterodox sects against the orthodox religion dominated by rites and rituals. Among them the most successful were Jainism and Buddhism whose impact on the Indian society was remarkable.

Jainism
Life of Vardhamana Mahavira (539- 467 B.C.) Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of

the Jain tradition. He was born at Kundagrama near Vaisali to Kshatriya parents Siddhartha and Trisala. He married Yasoda and gave birth to a daughter. At the age of thirty he became an ascetic and wandered for twelve years. In the 13th year of his penance, he attained the highest spiritual knowledge called Kevala Gnana. Thereafter, he was called Mahavira and Jina. His followers were called Jains and his religion Jainism. He preached his doctrines for 30 years and died at the age of 72 at Pava near Rajagriha.Teachings of Mahavira:
The three principles of Jainism, also known as Triratnas (three gems), are:- right faith- right knowledge- right conduct.
Right faith is the belief in the teachings and wisdom of Mahavira. Right Knowledge is the acceptance of the theory that there is no God and that the world has been existing without a creator and that all objects possess a soul. Right conduct refers to the observance of the five great vows:-

- not to injure life- not to lie- not to steal- not to acquire property- not to lead immoral life.Spread of Jainism
By the end of the fourth century B.C., there was a serious famine in the Ganges valley. Many Jain monks led by Bhadrabagu and Chandragupta Maurya came to Sravana Belgola in Karnataka. Those who stayed back in north India were led by a monk named Sthulabahu who changed the code of conduct for the monks. This led to the division of Jainism into two sects Svetambaras (whiteclad) and Digambaras (Sky-clad or Naked). The first Jain Council was convened at Pataliputra by Sthulabahu, the leader of the Digambaras, in the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. The second Jain Council was held at Valabhi in 5th century A.D. The final compilation of Jain literature called Twelve Angas was completed in this council.

BuddhismLife of Gautama Buddha (567- 487 B.C.)
Gautama or Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in 567 B.C. in Lumbini Garden near Kapilavastu. His father was Suddodhana of the Sakya clan and mother Mayadevi. As his mother died at child birth, he was brought up by his aunt Prajapati Gautami. At the age of sixteen he married

Yasodhara and gave birth to a son, Rahula. The sight of an old man, a diseased man, a corpse and an ascetic turned him away from worldly life. He left home at the age of twenty nine in search of Truth. He wandered for seven years and met several teachers but could not get enlightenment. At last, he sat under a bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and did intense penance, after which he got Enlightenment (Nirvana) at the age of thirty five. Since then he became known as the Buddha or ‘the Enlightened One’. He delivered his first sermon at Sarnath near Benares and for the next forty five years he led the life of a preacher. He died at the age of eighty at Kusinagara.

The most important disciples of Buddha were Sariputta, Moggallanna, Ananda, Kassapa and Upali. Kings like Prasenajit of Kosala and Bimbisara and Ajatasatru of Magadha accepted his doctrines and became his disciples. Buddha in his lifetime spread his message far and wide in north India and visited places like Benares, Rajagriha, Sravasti, Vaisali, Nalanda and Pataligrama. It should be noted that he did not involve himself in fruitless controversies regarding metaphysical questions like god, soul, karma, rebirth, etc.., and concerned himself with the practical problems confronting man.

Teachings of Buddha:
The Four Noble Truths of Buddha are:- The world is full of suffering.- The cause of suffering is desire.- If desires are get rid off, suffering can be removed.- This can be done by following the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path consists of right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Buddha neither accepts god nor rejects the
existence of god. He laid great emphasis on the law of karma. He argued that the condition of man in this life depends upon his own deeds. He taught that the soul does not exist.

Spread of Buddhism
Buddha had two kinds of disciples – monks (bhikshus) and lay worshippers (upasikas). The monks were organized into the Sangha for the purpose of spreading his teachings. The membership was open to all persons, male or female and without any caste restrictions. There was a special code for nuns restricting their residence and movement. Sariputta, Moggallana and Ananda were some of the famous monks. The Sangha was governed on democratic lines and was empowered to enforce discipline among its members. Owing to the organised efforts made by the Sangha, Buddhism made rapid progress in North India even during Buddha’s life time. Magadha, Kosala, Kausambi and several republican states of North India embraced this religion. About two hundred years after the death of Buddha, the famous Mauryan Emperor Asoka embraced Buddhism. Through his missionary effort Asoka spread Buddhism into West Asia and Ceylon. Thus a local religious sect was transformed into a world religion.Buddhist Councils
The first Buddhist Council was held at Rajagraha under the chairmanship of Mahakasapa immediately after the death of Buddha. Its purpose was to maintain the purity of the teachings of the Buddha. The second Buddhist Council was convened at Vaisali around 383 B.C. The third Buddhist Council was held at Pataliputra under the patronage of Asoka. Moggaliputta Tissa presided over it. The final version of Tripitakas was completed in this council. The fourth Buddhist Council was convened in Kashmir by Kanishka under the chairmanship of Vasumitra. Asvagosha participated in this council. The new school of Buddhism called Mahayana Buddhism came into existence during this council. The Buddhism preached by the Buddha and propagated by Asoka was known as Hinayana.